


Of Phoenix Feathers and Frozen Hearts

by dazzletwig



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, M/M, Pining, Quests, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:34:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25520674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dazzletwig/pseuds/dazzletwig
Summary: “You want me to freeze... what?” Sakusa asks, eyes narrowed.“M’heart.”“Really.”Sakusa considers the situation. Yellow hair, so — the younger twin, Prince Miya Atsumu. If rumors are to be believed, he is the reckless one, the so-called gallant adventurer and breaker of hearts.Interesting, to say the least.In which Sakusa, ice mage, accepts a surprising request from an unexpected client--and finds himself in for more than he bargained for.
Relationships: Miya Atsumu/Sakusa Kiyoomi
Comments: 45
Kudos: 348
Collections: SakuAtsu Fics





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> From @bluedailee's prompt in SASS.
> 
> Short teaser/comic for first scene [here](https://twitter.com/DazzleTwig/status/1287797126240632833)!

Magic is a finicky thing. 

It bursts with potential, hungry as wildfire and unyielding as ice. As such, the first and most important lesson is always the failsafe.

For example: take a simple heating spell. A pinch of sulfur, a clump of wool or down, and a container such as a tinderbox. With these alone, a mage of basic proficiency can warm a house for an entire winter.

With these alone, that same mage would find themselves in a house burning in perpetual flames come spring. The critical step here is to first add a few gypsum crystals which, in turn, can act as a focus point for anyone who cares to _stop_ the spell in the future.

But of course, there are always those who cut corners. It’s those cases that result in… the _Monkey’s Paw_ s. The _Midas’ golden touch_ es. The very worst examples of every magical ‘ _You got what you wished for!’_ moment.

Sakusa doesn’t cut corners.

At the moment, he’s guiding a glowing stream of light towards the egg-shaped chunk of ice on the table, perched on a small pedestal of gold filigree. Once it enters, the light swirls and fills its container, flickering one final time before settling into its glittering cage. 

The light thrums to a distant beat. The surface of the ice sparkles blue, silver and purple, emanating magic and life.

“So that’s m’heart?”

Sakusa is jolted out of his casting reverie. 

Right, the client. Prince Atsumu breathes softly as he gazes at his own frozen heart, mesmerized. There’s something characteristically narcissistic about that, but for this, Sakusa doesn’t blame him. There’s no denying the sheer beauty of such vivacious emotion, somehow captured in cold, sparkling ice.

“Yes. But we’re not done.” Sakusa sits back in his chair, all business. “Where is the failsafe?”

Atsumu looks up at Sakusa at this. “Well, I thought ‘bout what ya said, but ya didn’t give me much t’ work with, y’know.” He pulls out a smattering of jewelry, a handkerchief, and a waterskin from his pocket, along with a small pile of lint.

Sakusa does his best to not jump out of his chair to immediately do a deep clean of his desk, the room, and maybe the whole tower. 

“What is this.”

“It’s whatcha asked for! C’mon, Sakusa-san—” Sakusa winces at the whiny tone. “—these’re all things that remind me of Shou-kun.”

Sakusa sighs as he carefully picks out anything that sings with even the tiniest bit of magic potential. In other words, anything with sentiment. The sun-emblazoned ring looks promising.

He holds it up to the heart, and—

“Holy gods, Sakusa! Are ya tryin’ ta kill me?” Atsumu exclaims, just as the light inside flashes once in a blinding burst. Sakusa _doesn’t_ almost drop it, because he’s a professional.

Sakusa clicks his tongue impatiently. “It’s rejecting the ring because it’s not… strong enough. Do you have anything better? Of more sentimental value to you?”

Atsumu’s face is comically draped in disbelief. “Sakusa. Th’ hell, man. Have some mercy. Ya ask a guy to bring you _tokens of affection_ from his _ex_. That,” he jabs a pained finger at the golden ring, “was literally my engagement ring. I asked ya t' help with the heartbreak, not to twist th’ dagger.”

Sakusa scrunches his nose as he picks up the next trinket from the pile, an amber earring. It’s highly unlikely that it’s been cleaned, but the last time he had tried casting spells with gloves on, he had ended up nearly freezing his own arms off. 

Again, the blue light flares out and Sakusa yanks his hand back. The heart itself seems to revel in having an ego to match its owner’s. Typical. Sakusa takes a moment to wipe his hands and pinch the bridge of his nose. 

“The failsafe,” Sakusa begins, and Atsumu lets out a groan. Sakusa shoots him a glare before restarting. “The failsafe is meant to represent the return of emotion. Of love. Like springtime.” Sakusa twists his mouth a little. A little maudlin for his tastes, but let it be known that he _does_ cater to his clients, thank you _very_ much, Komori, now go mind your own business. 

Where was he? Ah. Right. “It’s like a stopper in the bottom of a tub. And thus, it needs to be as strong as the emotions inside. I need something of magical potency as strong as your _feelings._ ” 

Tirade over, Sakusa glances back towards Atsumu’s face. The prince’s eyes have darkened somewhat, and the teasing tone from their conversation up to now seems to have drained away. Atsumu pulls his eyes back from where he was staring into the wall, and he stays silent. 

Then he lets out a short bark of laughter.

“Somethin’ as strong as my _feelin’s_ , huh?” He chuckles, the sound bitter with derision. “So damn frigid. Is it true what they say about ice mages, then? Jus’ a cold, empty cavern where a heart should be?”

Sakusa scowls in response.

Atsumu scoffs before leaning back with his hands on his eyes. Like this, with half his face hidden from view, he looks—tired. Resigned. 

“I can’t bring ya th’ literal _sun_ , Sakusa,” he says quietly. “That’s what he is t’ me.”

Well.

A pity, Sakusa supposes. This would certainly make casting the spell a little more difficult. If he’s being honest, he had not expected Prince Atsumu Miya, infamous adventurer and breaker of maidens’ hearts, to be caught in this particular dilemma.

But palace gossip aside, there are always solutions, if only one knows where to look. In this case…

Sakusa clears his throat. “We can find alternatives. As far as effectiveness goes—what you can’t get in intensity, you can make up for in duration.”

A pause.

“Heh.” The corners of Atsumu’s mouth curve upwards, just slightly. “That’s what she—actually, no, that’d kinda suck—”

“So do you have any personal items that are of sentimental value? They wouldn’t be as directly relevant to the spell, but anything close to your own heart, perhaps, that you’ve had for a long time?”

Atsumu pauses for a second before perking up. “Right! I knew this’d come in useful some day.” He reaches into his shirt and pulls out a small wooden pendant on a chain. Sakusa blinks, examining its magical signature.

It’s powerful. The pendant practically sings with the essence of its owner, having literally been near his heart for—years, at least, probably.

“I’ve had that fer ages. Me n’ Osamu bought ‘em when we were, what, eight? I don’t really remember,” Atsumu comments. “Dad said they were good luck. Dunno ‘bout that, but we jus’ kinda kept ‘em on.”

Sakusa takes the chain off and holds the pendant carefully between two fingers, bringing it up to the frozen heart. The light brightens, shifting around Sakusa’s hand. For a second, Sakusa feels his hand being pushed away, but then—a click. 

The pendant slips into place like a magnet, sitting on the front of the heart. 

Sakusa lets out the breath he was holding before quickly fastening on a gold filigree casing, matching the little stand. The heart continues to beat, almost cheerfully bright, shining a calm blue light over the table.

Well, despite everything—it was, overall, a job well done. Sakusa wouldn’t settle for anything less, after all.

* * *

It was a job well _done_.

Emphasis on _done._ Completed. Paid for. Wrapped up. Finished. 

So why is Atsumu here again, tracking in all manner of… is it magical animal entrails, this time?

“Wait!” Atsumu yells before Sakusa can blast him backwards through the door with an icy squall. “I’ve got somethin’ fer ya, Omi-Omi!”

“Hey there, Atsumu!” Komori calls cheerfully from where he’s carrying in a crate of silver apples from the orchard. “Welcome back. Where were you this time, Aoba Johsai?”

Atsumu waves at him before hopping to sit on Sakusa’s desk. At this point, he’s probably immune to Sakusa’s disdainful expressions, but that doesn’t mean Sakusa’s going to stop making them.

“Nah. Fuku Desert. Man, y’ever been t’ one of the oases? Those birds can _party_ ,” Atsumu drawls. Sakusa considers pushing him off the table, but he’s still not sure what the mysterious green substance on his shoulder is, and he’s not about to find out.

But Atsumu places a small jar of glittering white powder on his desk, and—was that fairy sand? From Bokuto’s garden? 

Sakusa sniffs. Atsumu lives another day then.

Atsumu stays there for a while, as always, terrorizing the two mages (“He’s helping us in the garden. It _is_ apple season, Sakusa,” Komori says). At one point, he mercifully falls asleep on the old bench in his study (“Oh, you’re looking for the blanket? Why are you making that face—anyway, it’s in the back room,” Komori _prattles_ ). And before Atsumu leaves, he snatches an ugly bear carving off of Sakusa’s shelf.

“You’re literally stealing from me, _Prince_ Miya.”

“Omi-kun, we’ve known each other this long. C’mon, drop the title. I’m Atsumu.”

“Miya, put it back.”

“I’ll return it. I always do, Omi-Omi! And besides, I can’t find my way back t’ yer tower without somethin’ from inside it already, right?”

Sakusa deeply resents his cousin for explaining to Atsumu how the wards worked. Atsumu is right. Those who attempted to find the tower usually wound up lost, wandering through a forest bathed in perpetual winter, unless they had an invitation in the form of a token from the tower itself. 

Of course, this doesn’t explain how Atsumu found his way into the tower that first time. Well, it is said that the twin princes were born under a lucky star. Maybe a wishing star; say, for instance, a tiny meteorite.

Anyways, he and Komori have sold many charms and potions in the past to people of all walks. It is entirely possible that Atsumu owns an enchanted dagger, or a minor protection charm, or something of the sort.

But clearly, he’d rather be equipped with the (thankfully unmagical) bear carving. Atsumu should be all set to go—but instead, he stands in the doorway, looking at Sakusa with a thoughtful expression.

“Hey, Omi-Omi.”

That was a Proposition voice. 

“I was wonderin’ if ya—”

“No.”

“Ya didn’t even hear me out!”

“Still, no.”

“What if I tell ya it’s about White Eagle Mountain?”

Unfortunately, _that_ catches Sakusa’s attention. He’s been itching for a chance to visit for a long time. He hasn’t seen Wakatoshi in a while, and he _was_ running low on ground swan eggshells. Atsumu takes the pause as a go-ahead to keep speaking.

“It’s where th’ phoenixes roost about this time’a year, yeah? It’s a great time t’ get out and do some bird-watchin’, is what I was thinkin’. And maybe you’d get ta collect some shiny plants or magic rocks or somethin’.”

Sakusa narrows his eyes at Atsumu, who squirms a little under his gaze.

“...Alright, I’m not exactly in it fer the bird-watchin’,” he admits. “I’m thinkin’ of gettin’ a few phoenix feathers.”

A flashy trophy, as always. But something about it bothers Sakusa.

“What for?”

Atsumu still refuses to make eye contact, choosing to look off to the side. “... I want t’ get somethin’ special. For… for Shouyou-kun’s weddin’ next year.”

Ah. That’s right, the phoenix is a particularly sacred symbol in the neighbouring country of Karas.

Prince Hinata would be delighted. Endeared, even, at such an extravagant gift.

Ignoring the growing irritation in his chest, Sakusa does what he does best and points out the obvious. “The phoenix roosting grounds are very dangerous. You’ll kill yourself getting there.”

Atsumu finally looks back at Sakusa, and his grin is bright in a way that Sakusa has never seen before. “So I figured y’ could come with me, Omi-Omi!” 

This whole trip screams _bad idea_. 

But Sakusa thinks back to Atsumu, yelping as the garden pixies chased him out a week ago. He thinks of Atsumu, bruised and battered and scarred, but triumphantly holding the head of a hydra as he stumbled through the tower doors. 

He thinks of Atsumu, asleep in his study, eyebrows furrowed and cheeks damp as he huddles further into the blanket Sakusa draped over his shoulders.

Sakusa looks up at Atsumu now. 

“Fine,” he mutters, and Atsumu cheers.

* * *

The trip to White Eagle Mountain typically takes Sakusa two weeks, and the ascent to Wakatoshi’s village another five days. 

With Atsumu as his companion, it’s been three weeks, and they have yet to make it to the foothills of the mountain—and still, Sakusa doesn’t find himself as annoyed as he probably should be.

But, it is now the fifth day since they’ve been in a hotel with a proper bath. It goes without saying that Sakusa has perfected the art of cleaning himself with a sanitizing frozen mist shower, but… Atsumu.

Atsumu smells _foul._

“Don’t get yer panties ‘n a knot, Omi-Omi, I washed my pits in the river yesterday.”

Sakusa wastes no time in kicking Atsumu into the spring, clothes and all. Frankly, those need washing even more than Atsumu’s body does. Sakusa doesn’t spare a glance over his shoulder as he gets soap from his pack—the jerk can swim. Probably. 

When he gets back, Atsumu is nowhere to be seen. A stream of bubbles collects where Sakusa had pushed Atsumu in.

Sakusa is all but ready to drag the pool with a makeshift ice rake when Atsumu bobs up on the other side of the spring, laughing and gasping for air. 

“Hey, Omi-Omi! Did I getcha?”

Sakusa glares. Atsumu grins wildly, canines flashing in the low evening light, and Sakusa feels his heart stutter and his brows twitch.

“Scrub your clothes.” Sakusa snaps. “Use my soap; you smell. And wash your hair properly, for once.”

“Huh. Well, if ya know so much about hair,” Atsumu lilts as he swims to where Sakusa is standing, stripping and dumping his wet clothes in a pile on the shore, “why dontcha wash it for me?”

Sakusa considers the soap in his hands. “Alright. Hold still.” 

Sakusa registers the blushing shock on Atsumu’s face with a smug sense of accomplishment. Before he can dwell too long on what exactly he thinks of Atsumu’s cheeks, he dives into the coarse, yellow hair with lather on his fingers.

After a few minutes of forceful scrubbing, Sakusa is slightly disappointed that Atsumu hadn’t been squirmier. He _had_ told Atsumu to be still, but this is inhuman.

“You alright?”

A pause.

“Uh—wha—”

“Did you fall asleep?”

“No! No. Uh, I just—yer hands’re—warm, Omi-Omi.”

Sakusa doesn’t bother to respond, and Atsumu seems to sense the unimpressed scowl through the back of his own head.

“Just—I kinda fig’red ya’d have cold hands, or somethin’.”

“Ha, ha.”

“No, like—” Atsumu’s hair is rough but pleasantly pliant when soaked in water and soap. Sakusa pulls his fingers over Atsumu’s scalp soothingly, feeling a little guilty about the rough treatment from earlier.

“Ah—It’s… nice,” Atsumu finishes lamely.

After ensuring that Atsumu has rinsed out his hair, scrubbed off his top layer of skin, and laundered all his clothes, Sakusa allows Atsumu to step out of the spring. 

Of course he gives him the expected amount of privacy while he dresses, but—while Atsumu is still putting on his change of clothes, Sakusa notices the pendant hanging on his chest.

Atsumu sees Sakusa’s gaze. “Like what ya—”

“Did you always have two necklaces?” Sakusa knows by now to cut him off before the flirting gets out of hand. The pendant really is interesting, though, glowing with a different energy from the one Sakusa had used on Atsumu’s heart. Subdued somehow. Colder, perhaps? 

“It’s ‘Samu’s.” Atsumu pauses. “My brother’s. He said that he’d break m’ neck if I died ‘fore I returned it.”

Sakusa squints. Having a twin must be an extraordinary experience.

“I hate ‘im,” Atsumu says affectionately. 

But something about the necklace seems… oddly familiar. 

The magic radiating from it is far less flashy than that of Atsumu’s, so Sakusa steps in to get a better look. As he peers past the magic to see the wooden charm itself, he is suddenly struck with obvious familiarity.

The rune pattern is one that he, Komori, and even Iizuna had carved hundreds of times, back in their early apprenticeship days. 

As Sakusa turns the charm over in his hands, he remembers their master jokingly asking them to make a thousand each—and Sakusa had carved each one out meticulously. He had reached the total in his second year. 

Then, stuck with a pile of very redundant wooden trinkets, he had visited town with Komori on market day and sold almost all of them in one go. He would find out later that they had vastly undercharged, but what do you expect of children?

“—Omi-kun!” Atsumu stammers, voice strained.

Sakusa flicks his eyes up to meet Atsumu’s. 

Ah. He’s… very close. Sakusa’s hair is one puff away from brushing Atsumu’s still-damp forehead, and Atsumu’s eyes, normally fox-like and teasing, are wide and bright in the moonlight as he stares up at Sakusa.

Sakusa blinks.

He steps back and—how long had he been holding this breath?

“Sorry,” he mutters quietly. Atsumu stands there, equally shell-shocked.

“Uh—” Atsumu shakes his head, dripping water around him like a wet dog. Sakusa’s out of splash range, but he steps further away anyways. “I mean—no worries. Is there somethin’ wrong with ‘Samu’s necklace?”

“It’s likely that I was the one who made it. And yours, too.”

Atsumu looks at him suspiciously. “When y’were, like, eight?”

“Seven, yes.”

Atsumu pauses before shrugging. “Yeah, guess I’m not surprised. I’m not payin’ extra fer that, though.”

It is later that night, after Atsumu’s breathing has evened out from the truly peaceful sleep only idiots know, that Sakusa finds himself still thinking about the pendant—the one back in his tower.

In general, Sakusa doesn’t linger much on the fate of his merchandise. But, thinking about his work—his mark, his signature—hanging around Atsumu’s neck brings a bloom of satisfaction to his chest. 

That’s when it clicks.

He’d finally let Atsumu’s incessant flirting get to his head, apparently. 

Disappointing, but not irreversible. Of the thousands of souls who were unlucky enough to meet the prince, there must be laughably many who have had their hearts gently smashed to the ground, pieces kicked aside as Hurricane Atsumu blasted through their lives. 

(There is, of course, that one bright and burning exception. The one Atsumu had carefully picked up and cherished, only to find himself at Sakusa’s doorstep, begging for his own heart to be frozen.)

(Because that is what Sakusa does best.)

It will not be difficult to root Atsumu out of his “cold, empty cavern” of a heart. To borrow from Atsumu’s melodramatic spiel: nothing takes to permafrost well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter: a-questing they will go~
> 
> Thank you for reading the first chapter! I'll release the next chapters as I'm editing them, so over the next few days, most likely.
> 
> Come yell with me on twt [@dazzletwig](https://twitter.com/DazzleTwig)!
> 
> Thank you [tai](https://archiveofourown.org/users/writerinbrooks/profile) for your beta and advice and your patience :') :') 
> 
> <3 [ScriptaManent](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScriptaManent) beta, plotweaver, counsel extraordinaire! Thank you!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: very brief alcohol ment+vague allusion to drugs. Just the paragraph starting with "But in case." Atsumu makes a joke and they move on.

Visiting Wakatoshi is a brief but pleasant affair, as it always is. Sakusa and Atsumu are invited into his (very lush, very extensive) private gardens for tea, and Atsumu manages to insult the host and his home only four times.

Sakusa considers this a resounding success.

Wakatoshi sends them off at the trailhead with a word of caution and a blessing of good fortune. Atsumu first snickers when he sees the stoic man kiss his own fingertips, and he completely blanches when Wakatoshi places the kiss atop Sakusa’s forehead.

“You can have yours on your cheek if you’d rather. It’s a great honour,” Sakusa remembers to point out. Atsumu is still pale as a sheet when Wakatoshi places the blessing on his right cheek, Sakusa smirking throughout.

Sakusa has been up this trail only once, though not all the way to the peak. Bokuto’s idea of a ‘ _super awesome, trust me guys’_ birthday party has much to be desired. Either way, he is more prepared this time, swatting aside venomous striker vines with a shield of ice and freezing the one-eyed rock motes to the mountain face. He destroys the locust swarm on sight. With fire. 

He’s an ice mage, but flammable pollen and a box of matches can go a long way.

Atsumu slices through one striker vine before he is knocked unconscious from the gas that bursts from the stump. He wakes up minutes later next to an impatient Sakusa, surrounded by various flora and fauna that are unmoving and coated in frost. 

Atsumu grumps almost the entire rest of the way up the mountain, much to Sakusa’s self-satisfaction. He does, however, observe his travel companion carefully. The glittering hunger in his eyes sears itself into Sakusa’s memory and sends tingles down his spine. 

Before long, the two are fighting in tandem with all the elegance of a choreographed dance. They reach the nesting grounds before Sakusa even thinks of calling a water break, sun still high in the sky, and the two take a moment to stare in awe.

The summit of White Eagle Mountain is breathtaking. Even to the adventurous and worldly Atsumu, Sakusa notes. 

The sun beats down relentlessly on them, reflecting off of the chalky stone and snowy mountain peaks to wreath the vista in ivory. Vast swatches of green forest sweep into the distance, fading into glittering fog and checkerboard fields and emerald beaches. Fuku Desert, Cat’s Crater, Bluecastle Cliffs—Atsumu swears he can even see Inari in the distance.

A piercing birdcall—a hawk, probably—reminds Sakusa of what they’re here for. A short ways away is a dip in the stone where gnarled pine trees have somehow managed to take root. Tucked into the sparse branches and taller rock ledges are five massive, downy clumps of brush.

The phoenix nests.

Sakusa barely has time to inhale before Atsumu dashes up to the nearest one, nimbly scaling the short rock wall and hopping up to stand next to the nest. The edge comes up to his chin.

“Miya!” Sakusa hisses. “If the mother sees you, you’re toast. No, you’re _ash_.” 

Atsumu waves back dismissively, joy evident on his face as he _leans into the nest_. “Man, the feathers here are kina ugly,” he stage-whispers. “I wonder if we c’n get fresher ones?”

Sakusa wants to scream at him. Instead, he creeps out of the cover of the single measly tree, eyes on the sky for angry bird parents. Atsumu waves him up impatiently, making no move to come down. Sakusa grumbles under his breath and pulls himself up to the edge of the nest.

Four starry black eyes blink up at him.

They’re adorable. Of course the pair of baby phoenixes are adorable, soft ashy down giving away to sunset feathers just growing in. Sakusa is struck with an inexplicable, completely atypical urge to cup them in his hands and stroke their feathers. 

“Don’t touch them,” he bites out instead, but it comes out as more of a breathy coo. 

Moments pass before he realizes that Atsumu hasn’t said anything stupid, or anything at all, really. He glances to the left, and Atsumu is looking at him. Directly at him, with an inscrutable expression on his face.

Sakusa can feel the blush rising up. He opens his mouth to say something appropriately biting, such as “Shut up,” when he sees a flash of red in the sky.

It’s all the warning they get before a blast of heat and an ear-splitting scream knocks Sakusa off the ledge.

His reflexes are good, and he manages to summon a shelf of ice between them and the majestic, terrifying, absolutely _furious_ beast now circling above them. 

A quick glance, and he sees Atsumu getting to his feet, still on the rock ledge. 

“Run!” Sakusa shouts as he summons a small storm of icy wind around himself. If Atsumu hops down, he can shield the two of them—they could make a run for the treeline— 

Atsumu runs the other way, further up the rocky outcropping. He disappears behind a pair of dried-looking pines before re-emerging at the top of one of the trees. He yells into the wind, “hey _birdbrain!_ ” before screeching into the sky, just as raucous as the phoenix itself.

At this, the creature turns to face Atsumu, attention caught. It screeches once again and dives in his direction.

“Miya!” Sakusa yells again, running along the lower edge to follow Atsumu, but to no effect. The phoenix, completely focused on its target, opens its beak and lets out a funnel of scorching orange flame towards the pair of trees.

“ _Atsumu!”_ Sakusa shrieks as Atsumu drops down into the trees, wild grin stretched across his face as the trees start to burn. The phoenix coasts past the treetops, grazing over the smoking needles.

Sakusa barely notices as the snow squall surrounding himself extends, blasting towards the trees. He listens for screams, for coughing, for anything, but he hears nothing but wind and snow and crackling flame. Then— 

A figure, crouched but not cowing, beside the toppled trunk of one of the trees. Atsumu stands up quickly, shielding his eyes from the icy wind, when the phoenix screeches again.

“Go, Omi-kun! I’m right behind ya!” Atsumu whoops as he runs to the ledge and launches into a flying leap. Sakusa barely remembers to pull another small blizzard around them as Atsumu lands by his side, and they make a mad dash for the treeline.

They break through the underbrush and keep running. Only when the burning white of the afternoon sun gives away to dappled forest green do they stop to catch their breath. Sakusa lets the winds around them die down.

Atsumu is laughing and red-faced. He reaches over as if to hug Sakusa’s shoulders, but backs off when Sakusa flinches away unconsciously.

Sakusa feels a brief pang of regret, but Atsumu continues to smile amicably anyway. “Man, that was amazin’! We should do it again, sometime.”

Sakusa inhales and whips around to face Atsumu. “Miya—”

“Oh, we’re back t’ that? I could swear I herdja call me Atsumu—”

“Do you _enjoy_ getting burnt to a crisp for no reason at all? How have you survived this long? What were you _thinking?_ ” Sakusa lets out in one angry torrent.

“Not for no reason,” Atsumu smirks. He holds up his right hand, clutching three iridescent crimson feathers. 

The feathers are beautiful, yes, but the sharpness in Atsumu’s grin as he shows off his trophy, and his eyes, vivid and shining with triumph, are what trip up Sakusa’s next breath.

“I baited momma bird inta grazing her lovely plumage on th’ trees,” Atsumu beams. “Gimme some credit, Omi-Omi. Even I know t’ never climb _into_ a phoenix nest.”

The breathlessness ebbs away, but Sakusa can feel his heart pumping adrenaline and madness through his veins. A crazed laugh falls from his lips, before he exclaims, “You were standing under—no, _on_ a _burning tree!_ ” 

Atsumu suddenly holds Sakusa’s gaze, unrelentingly focused. “I was,” he says, still exuberant but with something, somehow, shining soft and warm in his eyes—“but without a single burn or singed hair ta show fer it! I wonder how, Omi-kun?” he laughs.

Sakusa stares at him in disbelief. He then scoffs and turns away, but Atsumu’s quick to catch up. Eyes sparkling, he says, “Omi-Omi! Come with me ta Shou-kun’s weddin’.” 

What? Is his mind addled by a post-quest high?

“No.”

“Aww, c’mon! Why not? Ya don’t wanna see the fruits of our labour?” 

Sakusa glances at the phoenix feathers. Atsumu’s hands are rough and his fingers are blunt, but he pinches the stems of the three brilliant feathers as delicately as anything. 

Presenting a gift like that at a wedding—it would be a beautiful gesture capable of swaying even the coldest of hearts. Those hands, presenting the very symbol of fire, of passion, of light and life. It would be nothing short of a spectacle. A declaration.

A declaration of— 

“I don’t like crowds,” Sakusa says, and he marches forwards.

Atsumu has the courtesy to seem a little disappointed, but he recovers quickly enough as they climb down the hill. He rambles about anything and everything the rest of the way.

He’s even in such a good mood that, at Wakatoshi’s house again, he promises to visit and to bring him a set of Kita’s mastercraft fox-tail brushes as a gift in the future. Wakatoshi looks—well, he doesn’t _look_ pleased exactly, with that unmoving face, but he does shake Atsumu’s hand warmly when they leave. Atsumu beams and fairly skips down the mountain trail, Sakusa trailing behind. 

He’s still this happy when they make camp that night, and he is all the more insufferable for it. It is maybe because of the exhaustion that, for the first time, Sakusa breaks the blessed pre-sleep silence to initiate a conversation with Atsumu.

“Miya.”

“Can’t hear ya,” Atsumu says inanely. “M’name’s Atsumu.”

“Are you going to present the phoenix feathers at Hinata’s wedding, in person?”

Atsumu turns over on his side to look at Sakusa across the charry remains of the fire pit.

“A’course, Omi-kun. I didn’t drag our sorry asses all th’ way to Ushiwaka-kun’s place fer the exercise, yanno.”

Sakusa scrunches his nose, and Atsumu laughs. It’s a warm sound, a little husky from tiredness. Atsumu has so many laughs, all of which are much warmer than the cruel, desolate bark Sakusa remembers from their first meeting.

“It’s a pretty extravagant gift for someone who broke your heart,” Sakusa says into the blanket.

“Hm? Speak up, Omi-kun.” Atsumu lets out a yawn.

“I said, it’s a very extravagant gift.”

“Well—” Then, Atsumu brightens. “If ya come, y’could present ‘em with me. They’re worth more’n five normal gifts put together anyways.”

“No.”

“C’mon, Omi-Omi!”

“Absolutely not.”

“Do it fer me?” Atsumu teases. 

Sakusa seizes up. When he doesn’t say anything back, his companion simply retorts about his general prickliness before heaving a comfortable sigh.

“Yer loss,” Atsumu mumbles sleepily. “I know ya hate crowds and people, but I think ya’d like Shou-kun. Everyone does.”

Sakusa thinks back to the blindingly bright glow of Atsumu’s heart, tucked safely away in his study. For a moment, he’s truly bitter. Who is this… sunshine boy? Who is he to have such a claim on something so beautiful, only to discard it—even if he isn’t aware that he has?

“How do you feel,” Sakusa intones, pulling himself back to the present.

“Huh? Sleepy, I guess.”

“No. I mean… your chest.”

“My… Oh! Y’mean m’ heart? Ya don’t know how yer own magic works, Omi-kun?” Atsumu’s voice is groggy, but it seems to perk back up just to tease Sakusa. 

“Unlike you, I’ve never needed the spell.”

“Ah, that’s right, ‘cuz ya don’t have anythin’ ta freeze in th’ first place,” Atsumu laughs before trailing off awkwardly. 

Sakusa frowns to himself before turning away silently. “Ugh,” he says into the night air. “Nevermind. Shut up.”

“Hey, wait, Omi-kun. I’m jus’ kiddin’, ya know that, right?” Atsumu calls. “Omi-kun. Omi-Omi. Omi-omi-omi-omi-omi—”

A snowball to the face shuts Atsumu up nicely. Sakusa takes note of that.

“Agh—Omi, gross, m’ face is all cold now.”

“Good.” 

“Oh, I’m gonna get frostbite, just like in my ribcage—” Atsumu inhales and lets out a loud shudder through his teeth. It’s almost definitely just more dramatics but—Sakusa peeks over his shoulder.

Yes, Atsumu is wearing his trademark snarky grin. Sakusa rolls back over so his back faces Atsumu again.

Atsumu laughs again, this time an unshackled, full-chested sound that rings into the forest. Sakusa’s chest twists a little, and he hunches into himself under the blanket.

“But in case y’were really wonderin’,” Atsumu says when he’s done laughing, “I barely feel anythin’ at all, actually. Even back when ya first pulled out the glowy blue stuff from m’chest. My head felt kinda hazy at first. Almost like booze, but without the actually bein’ drunk bit,” Atsumu muses. “Hey, ya think y’could market the spell as a recreational thing?”

Sakusa snorts before he can stop himself, and he knows Atsumu beams at that even without looking over.

“But over time,” Atsumu continues, “even that disappeared. The only thing left is this sorta… tuggin’ in my chest, which ‘as been there th’ whole time. I think it’s like a compass fer m’heart. Th’ frozen one, obviously.”

Atsumu sighs. “It didn’t take away all th’ hurt though. It’s not like I lost m’ memories about Shou-kun, so… I don’t think I completely stopped lovin’ him, yanno?”

Sakusa knows.

Freezing a heart is an anaesthetic procedure, not a surgical one. And besides, the failsafe is literally the Achilles’ heel of the spell; bleedthrough is expected behaviour.

Sakusa knows, but it still hurts to hear the words spill out in Atsumu’s easy cadence.

“Humans are complicated, huh. Man, I sound like a philosopher.”

“You need to be literate to be a philosopher.”

“Ha, ha,” Atsumu mocks back before reverting to his serious tone. “But… fer real. ‘M feelin’ a lot better. I think, when we get back…” he takes a deep breath, “I wanna break th’ spell before th’ weddin’. High time fer me t’ get outta yer hair, right, Omi-Omi?”

Of course. 

It’s … almost comical how out of place Atsumu’s frozen heart is, right now. It doesn’t belong hidden away in Sakusa’s tower, bound by a charm carved by clumsy, childish hands. 

For every winter, there is a spring thaw—a time for birds to finally fly free in the warm sun.

“Okay,” Sakusa says quietly.

“Thanks,” Atsumu returns, just as quiet. 

A pause. 

“Omi-kun,” Atsumu whispers again.

Sakusa is wrapped up in his blankets, eyes shut. He doesn’t bother replying.

“I also wanted to say. I’m, uh. Sorry fer the first day, and fer just now. When I said ice mages’re heartless.”

Sakusa pinches his eyes tighter.

“For what it’s worth, Omi-omi… I know ya pretty well. Don’t deny it. And… I know yer heart’s a good one.” Atsumu speaks slowly, sleep weighing heavily in his voice once again. “Ya helped me in many more ways than just the spell, so… thanks, Omi-kun. Sakusa.” 

Sakusa pulls the blanket around him tighter, lying awake long after Atsumu falls asleep. He finally shuts his eyes, dreaming of fire and sunlight and icy mountain winds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter: how to break a heart. Final chap before a short epilogue.
> 
> Thank you for reading the middle chapter! I'll release the last chap + epilogue as I'm editing them, so over the next few days, most likely.
> 
> Come yell with me on twt [@dazzletwig](https://twitter.com/DazzleTwig)!
> 
> Thank you [tai](https://archiveofourown.org/users/writerinbrooks/profile) for your beta and advice and your patience :') :') 
> 
> <3 [ScriptaManent](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScriptaManent) beta, plotweaver, counsel extraordinaire! Thank you!


	3. Chapter 3

The moment he steps back into his tower, travel-weary as he is, Sakusa knows something is off. Atsumu has already ambled up the stairs on his own, muttering about stealing from Sakusa’s soap hoard from now on, but Sakusa first strides into his study.

He sees it immediately. 

Grabbing Atsumu’s heart, he leans out into the hallway. “Miya.”

The prince pops his head out from his room at the tower—no, the _back room_ (since when had he made himself so at home? Since when had Sakusa begun to think the same—)

“Somethin’ wrong, Omi-omi?” Atsumu recognizes what Sakusa’s holding and sharply inhales. “Wait—is somethin’ up with my heart? Am I gonna die? Or worse, am I gonna forever be a blue-balled stick-up-m’ass jerk like _you_?”

Sakusa waves at him irritably. “Shut up. Look.”

The blue light that had once filled up the entire block of ice is now a small speck—a tadpole-shaped mote that swirls contentedly at the bottom of the egg.

Atsumu gapes at it.

“What. Did… did my heart… leak out? Oh my god, Omi, am I gonna die fer real?” He reaches for the ice, and Sakusa’s fingers twitch around it protectively. Sakusa quickly chides himself—this is Atsumu’s heart, of course he’ll be careful with it. Atsumu lifts the ice out of his hands gingerly, eying the little swirling glow inside.

“It did leak,” Sakusa starts before Atsumu turns towards him, eyes wide and jaw slack. “No, it’s not a problem. Not exactly. You’re going to be fine.”

“Where’d the rest of it go, then!” Atsumu exclaims. 

“If you’re not familiar with the four laws of ethereal entanglement—” Sakusa changes gears as Atsumu begins to splutter. “Well, to put it very simply, it’s back with you.”

Atsumu crinkles his eyebrows together, mouth still hanging open. “So… is yer spell messed up or something? Do we still need to break it?” 

Sakusa does scowl at this, and this familiar territory seems to put Atsumu at ease. “No, the spell is not messed up. Sometimes the heart just recovers when you experience strong emotions, despite the spell. Yes, we need to reverse it. There’s still clearly a little bit left, unless you want to keep it frozen forever.”

Atsumu’s face slowly smooths into one of realization and relief. “I’ve been basic’ly normal fer this whole time? These feelings are m’ normal ones?”

Sakusa stares indignant daggers at Atsumu. “Of course. I can’t… synthesize emotions, or anything gross like that. It’s a numbing spell, and it just wore off a little prematurely because you’re so dramatic,” he snaps. 

Atsumu continues to stare wonderingly at the egg until Sakusa sighs and recaptures it, returning the ice egg to its shelf. “It’s late. We can reverse it first thing tomorrow.” Atsumu nods slowly before walking to his back room, and Sakusa finally closes the door behind him for the night. 

Atsumu’s heart blinks—mockingly, really—from its spot. Sakusa’s breath catches as he once again sees how tiny the speck of light has become.

There really is only that little bit left, and as Atsumu had said: once Sakusa releases it, Atsumu will be out of his hair.

He can’t help it; he picks the egg back up off the shelf and stares into the ice, eyes shifting over the wooden charm clinging to its surface.

A wild idea, crazier than phoenix-corralling, dashes across his mind. Maybe he could… 

Just once.

In a life of dotted i's and crossed t's, impeccable spells and proper magic—just one broken rule. One cut corner.

He could… pry off the failsafe. Or, he could scratch away the rune of protection on it. Or—he could even just… say some mumbo jumbo and tell Atsumu that his heart was back to normal, spell broken. And then just keep this last bit forever, for himself.

Sakusa had cast the spell, but it was Atsumu whose heart had healed on its own, trickling back home with the promise of renewed love. There is only one spark left, spinning merrily inside its icy prison. 

Here Sakusa stands, warden and jailmaker, poised to destroy the one wooden key.

His fingers shift, and the dry, cool surface of the enchanted ice seems to pulse in time with the spark inside. The failsafe, age-worn wood beneath his fingertips, is bright with the memory of Atsumu sunk deep into its fibers.

"Nothing's stopping you," Sakusa murmurs at what's left of Atsumu's heart, cradled in his palms. “You should leave before I do something we both regret.”

Stupid, dramatic Atsumu. Atsumu, who flits among his adorers but still somehow wears his heart on his sleeve. Atsumu, who falls so wholly in love that even his heartbreak shines more vividly than anything Sakusa’s ever seen. 

Atsumu, who unknowingly—cruelly—still can’t seem to leave Sakusa alone.

* * *

Sakusa would have liked to have Komori stay for the spell reversal for insurance, but Komori takes one look at Atsumu holding the egg before immediately hightailing it into the woods.

“Just collecting some more ingredients. Or something. Don’t worry about it; I looked it over, your incantation’s fine, Sakusa!”

Alright, fine. Just him and the broken-hearted prince, then.

Gods, Atsumu’s theatrics really did rub off on him.

“Are… are ya alright with doin’ it by yerself, Omi-Omi?” Atsumu is standing in a chalk circle, just over an arm’s length away from Sakusa, who is holding the egg. Strictly speaking, the circle isn’t necessary. However, Sakusa is enjoying seeing Atsumu behaving himself. Unbelievable, truly—Atsumu, for once in his life, is actually respecting personal boundaries.

(He thinks about what it would have been like if Atsumu had hugged him on the mountaintop. Atsumu is a naturally touchy person, so maybe, still—but no, Sakusa knows that he has run out of chances.)

Shaking off any distracting thoughts, Sakusa narrows his eyes and mutters the reversal spell, focusing on the spark of Atsumu’s heart between his palms.

It’s very faint. 

Furthermore, it’s a slippery little gremlin, flicking just out of the way whenever he thinks he’s got a hold of it—

“Are ya sure yer alright, Omi-kun?” Atsumu asks again, over twenty minutes later. A sheen of sweat has formed over Sakusa’s brow, and the little mote of light still continues to dance around inside the ice egg. “What’s goin’ on?”

Sakusa hisses quietly in frustration. “Annoying piece of—it’s not leaving the ice, Miya. It keeps slipping around me and missing the pendant, which is the exit point.”

“Huh, so ya do need yer failsafe or whatever t’ break a curse, then.”

Sakusa lets out an exasperated groan before focusing on the spark again. Maybe if he tried guiding it from the side—

“Why dontcha just smash it?” 

Sakusa blinks up. 

Atsumu is still standing in the circle, looking lazy and bored. Not sarcastic, and probably not insane.

“I’m not going to break your heart, Miya.”

“True love! I’m swoonin’, Omi-Omi.”

Sakusa sneers at that. Why does he have to deal with—with all of Atsumu, first of all, but on top of that, Sakusa’s own misguided… _feelings_.

Gross. Unwelcome. Like the messy slush of a premature snowmelt or the nasty ice you scrape off your boots. If Atsumu could see Sakusa’s heart the way they’re looking at his, he would be well within his rights to throw it away—far, far away.

It’s maybe a little sad. It’s not easy to fall _out_ of something; Atsumu himself is a testament to that. But Sakusa is different. He’ll cool down, snuff out whatever bright, hot thing has wormed its way into his chest. It may take time, or distance, but he knows he can do it.

It’s not like he has a choice, anyway. 

Sakusa huffs in disdain and raises the egg above his head—

“Wait, are you actually—”

Sakusa raises an eyebrow and lets his mouth curl up slightly.

Atsumu stares at him, panic quickly giving way to a short chuckle.

“Omi-Omi, yer really gonna play with my heart like this?”

Sakusa drops his miniscule smile and glares.

“Well, eat yer _heart_ out, Omi-Omi, I’m not gonna miss a _beat_!”

Sakusa sighs loudly and motions towards Atsumu's hands, depositing the heart inside them when Atsumu reaches out. “Shut up.”

“Aww, don’t play _heart_ t’ get.”

“I mean it.”

Atsumu closes his mouth, but his eyes stay crinkled with mischief.

Sakusa narrows his eyes, but Atsumu does seem to be listening. “So, breaking the egg might actually work, given how small the spark that’s left is. It probably won’t get damaged by the ice shards smashing apart.”

“... Wait, what—”

“And for best results, you should be the one to break it. The proximity might help the spark find its way back.”

“Are… are ya sure, Omi-kun?”

Sakusa merely steps back, making a sweeping _‘go ahead’_ motion with one arm.

“Well, here goes,” Atsumu mutters as he breathes in. He raises the egg above his head, and—

 _SMASH_ —splinters of ice fly from the point of impact, tinkling across the ground. Sakusa immediately bends down to inspect the small pile of ice and gold. The ice is rapidly melting now that it’s no longer enchanted.

There should have been—something. A flash of light, even the smallest blink or flicker, but Sakusa saw nothing. He looks up at Atsumu. “Do you still feel the tugging?”

Atsumu hesitates for a second, then frowns. “Uh… actually, yeah, I do.”

Sakusa can feel a headache coming forward. The spark must still be in the pile. As he combs through the wet ice, his hand brushes against something hot—no, _burning._

He jerks his hand back, hissing. 

“Omi, what happened?” Atsumu lunges forward in worry, just barely pulling himself back into the chalk circle in time. Sakusa should probably tell him that it’s not actually part of the spell, but, first things first. 

Sakusa pulls out the culprit between two fingers, hanging on a piece of gold filigree— 

The failsafe.

Somehow, the spark must have trapped itself into the pendant. Even the charm he had made years and years ago didn’t want to let Atsumu go, either. 

Cautiously, he cradles the pendant in his handkerchief and brings it to Atsumu.

“The last part of your heart’s in here. It might go back if you take the pendant, but—careful, it’s hot.”

Atsumu slowly reaches towards the pendant. 

Before he even touches it, a snap, like static electricity, zips between the charm and his fingertips. Both Atsumu and Sakusa gasp, and then—

Tears begin pouring from Atsumu’s eyes. 

Sakusa stares at him, frozen. And before he can move, Atsumu lunges forward, embracing Sakusa in a tight hug.

“I—” Atsumu hiccups. “You—It’s—It’s back, I can—” He shoves his nose into Sakusa’s shoulder, and Sakusa hasn’t even recoiled, instead focusing on hovering his hands closer, closer, just _hug him back, curse it all—_

Atsumu takes a shuddering breath and pulls back. 

“I’m feelin’... _ev’rythin’,_ Omi. I’m—I don’t usually cry—”

He stops when Sakusa finally, finally lands his hands on Atsumu’s back. That indecipherable expression flickers across Atsumu’s face once again, but Sakusa doesn’t have time to process it before warm, tearstained lips mash into his own.

A tinny, doubtful voice in him screams _what’s happening_ , but Sakusa can’t pull away. He doesn’t want to pull away. It’s Atsumu’s hands in his hair, Atsumu’s voice caught in his mouth. He finally has a taste of what he didn't let himself have—and it’s all too soon that Atsumu breaks off first, gasping for air unevenly, a hint of a sob still lingering on his breath.

Sakusa realizes that his arms are still encircling Atsumu in a lockhold. He quickly pries his hands apart and steps away. For good measure, he conjures a coat of ice onto his palms and presses them to his burning face.

The coolness helps.

There’s an explanation. It makes sense (of course it makes sense). Even if only a tiny piece of Atsumu’s heart was missing, the rush of snapping the last missing piece into place, making the heart whole once again, must have been overwhelming for Atsumu. He must have experienced a spike of every emotion, all in one instant.

All the anger, all the heartbreak, all the excitement and all of the love that his heart had held back before, all flowed out during that one spark of a second.

And Sakusa had let himself get caught up in Atsumu’s fire again. 

It’s going to be hell to recover now, but… recover he will. And Sakusa realizes that he’s still clutching Atsumu’s pendant in his hand, inside the crumpled handkerchief.

He turns back towards Atsumu, carefully avoiding looking at his face. 

“That was only a side effect of the spell-breaking,” Sakusa says as he holds out the pendant.

“Wha- wait, what?” Atsumu sounds kind of dazed. He hasn’t taken the pendant back.

“The sudden onslaught of emotion. You should probably be back to equilibrium by now.”

“... Oh, okay. Yeah, yeah, I think I am.” 

Sakusa wonders why it sounds like he heard a sigh of relief. He pushes the pendant out more insistently. 

“This is yours. We’re … done.” Sakusa winces. “With the spell.”

“Um. Right. That’s good. Thanks, Omi-Omi,” Atsumu says hesitantly. 

It’s painfully awkward. Atsumu still hasn’t taken the pendant? 

Unless—he doesn’t want it anymore. It’s something Sakusa made, after all, so it’s probably laced with bad memories and frigid dreams or something. 

Oh, and that kiss. He probably doesn’t want a reminder of that when he goes to Hinata’s wedding. He’ll give him the phoenix feather and risk breaking his heart again because Hinata would be worth it. Hinata is the sun. Hinata is warmth, and Atsumu is fire, and Sakusa is frost and cold and ice so numbing that it extinguishes emotion.

He realizes belatedly that his hand has closed around the pendant (it’s no longer hot, which is a relief). He realizes this because Atsumu has stepped out of the circle and is cautiously hovering a hand over his.

“Omi-Omi.”

Sakusa slowly unfolds his fingers. This is an unpleasant activity.

“Omi, wouldja look at me fer a sec?”

Sakusa doesn’t see why that’s necessary.

“Kiyoomi.”

Sakusa’s eyes snap up. Atsumu is staring right at him—into him—with those bright eyes, still red-rimmed from earlier. He looks… a little sad, a little happy. He’s smiling, though.

Sakusa feels a crack splitting through his heart.

“So uh. I think I gotta ask ya somethin’.” 

“I’m never freezing your heart again, Miya.” 

Atsumu’s soft smile wavers a little. “No, uh… I don’t think I wanna get it frozen, either.”

Sakusa stays silent. He’s not going to be able to get over anything if Atsumu keeps sticking around. But he also can’t see himself saying no to any of his requests, either.

Atsumu slowly, slowly stumbles with his question. “So… gods, how do I say this.”

Sakusa can’t take it anymore, grabbing one of Atsumu’s hands and vengefully wrapping it around the pendant. He immediately steps back and returns his gaze back to Atsumu’s eyes. 

He can do this. He does things cleanly, thoroughly, properly. He sees things through to the end, always.

Sakusa doesn’t cut corners.

Atsumu inhales sharply when their eyes meet.

“Yer-really-hot-Omi—” Atsumu blurts out. 

That’s… incredibly untrue, actually. (Temperature puns? Now, of all times?)

Atsumu momentarily seems to choke on his words before jumping in anyways. 

“I mean, I’d known that since I metcha, obviously, but it was hard back when I was gettin’ over Shou-kun. I was angry back then so I kinda hung around t’ piss ya off—”

“I _knew it!_ ” Sakusa doesn’t shout, because he has self-control.

“But y’ended up helpin’ me so much. Y’let me hang out and mess with yer stuff and ya showed me magic. Yer so cute when yer doin spells or talkin’ about them—I’m sorry, but it’s true—and I forgot about the numbin’ so fast that I didn’t even notice when my feelin’s fer ya started t’change.”

Atsumu’s getting progressively redder and redder, but Sakusa strongly suspects his face is the same. Atsumu continues to power through.

“And when I did I got a little worried, see, ‘cuz I was wonderin’ if maybe I broke somethin’? Like if I had a defective heart. ‘Cuz I’ve seen how picky y’are about yer magic and I’m pretty damn sure any problems wouldn’t be comin’ from yer end. And… it was confusin’, to feel that way but ta also know my heart was busy bein’ a pretty blue lamp in yer room.” 

Atsumu laughs, just barely edging towards maniacal, before inhaling and continuing. “And how couldja expect someone ta love ya back if they know yer heart’s frozen?” His gaze is a little wild as they stare at each other. “I said it before and I’ll say it again. Yer heart is bigger ‘n warmer than any I’ve seen, under all that glarin’ and insultin’ ya like t’ do so much. So…”

Atsumu finally shifts his eyes away. “Well. Jus’ now. Ya kissed me back despite th’ fact that I basically attacked ya ‘n smeared snot over yer shirt, so I figured… with m’heart back ‘n all, that I might have a chance.”

Sakusa gets whiplash from the sheer quantity of new information, but it’s interrupted when Atsumu lets out a yip of pain, tossing the pendant in his cupped hands like a hot potato.

“What? It’s hot again?”

“Ow—yeah, I thought we were back t’ normal—”

Sakusa catches the pendant in his handkerchief. As Atsumu draws away, a familiar blue spark leaps from his hand into the pendant. Both Sakusa and Atsumu notice. “Uh,” Atsumu begins intelligently, as Sakusa cautiously pokes it. 

“It’s warm.”

“Really?” Atsumu prods it as well. “Oh. Huh. Is… is part of m’heart in there?”

“Let me check,” Sakusa mumbles as he tries to read the pendant’s magical signature. Atsumu’s necklace is still painfully bright, but just before he blinds his mind's eye, he thinks he sees the flash of blue diving in and out of the rune etchings.

“It’s in there,” he sighs. “I can look into how and why this is happening, but I promise your health is not at risk. In the meantime, you can take this back with you to the castle—”

“Actually,” Atsumu interrupts. Sakusa’s eyes flick up to meet his. “If that’s th’ case, what ‘bout you keep it, Omi-Omi?” Atsumu delivers the line flawlessly, but there’s something worried in his tone.

Sakusa’s breath hitches as the words really sink in. Keep a piece of Atsumu’s heart?

“It’s… kinda symbolic, dontcha think? And I think… that part of my heart just wants t’ stay witcha. Like it belongs there.” The blush is returning as Atsumu quickly amends, “Only if ya want it, though.” 

Sakusa wraps Atsumu’s grip on the pendant in one hand, and he reaches for the prince’s face with the other. He gently taps on his cheeks to bring Atsumu’s eyes up again.

Sakusa inhales. “Let me keep it,” he murmurs, bringing their faces together. 

Atsumu blinks rapidly as Sakusa stops before adding, “I’ll treasure it." He breathes, “Atsumu.” 

The name falls naturally from his lips, more magical than any spell. It feels like the entire room sighs with him in relief, and Sakusa feels like he’s falling and flying at the same time, his failsafe the warm body captured in his arms.

And when their lips meet again, it is with all the sweetness and hope and promise of a new spring.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter: a few months later...
> 
> Thank you for reading the fic! AHhh I have so many concerns with wording and characterization. But I've enjoyed writing this story nonetheless.
> 
> Come yell with me on twt [@dazzletwig](https://twitter.com/DazzleTwig)!
> 
> Thank you [tai](https://archiveofourown.org/users/writerinbrooks/profile) for your beta and advice and your patience :') :') 
> 
> <3 [ScriptaManent](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScriptaManent) beta, plotweaver, counsel extraordinaire! Thank you!


	4. Chapter 4

“Did you see what they brought? What’s the big fuss?”

“Such a handsome couple. You’re from Inari, right? Is that the older prince, or—”

“The younger one, ya idjit. See th’ yeller hair?”

“Shh, shut up. What _did_ they bring?”

“I can’t see, th’ short groom is tiny. Did he open it? What’s he’s holdin’—”

“Well, that’s not a very nice thing to say about Prince Shouyou, now is it?”

The small gaggle of wedding guests whip around to see a cheerful man standing behind them, dressed in lavish formal robes, golden-brown hair neatly gelled back. His small eyebrows dance mischievously as he peers down at them.

“Anyways, why don’t you ask them for yourself?” The man waves at the couple. The blond man—the younger twin prince of Inari—notices and drags his partner, dark and gloomy, behind him.

“Komori!” Prince Atsumu Miya greets. The small crowd of wedding guests gulp. “We were wonderin’ where ya were. Didja see Tobio-kun’s face when they got the gift?” The prince grins, and the Inarian guest looks caught between swooning and running away.

“You really outdid yourself,” Komori says. (That Komori? The archmage Komori Motoya? Oh no. What _was_ this party’s guest list? How did the Karas prince know so many ridiculously powerful people?)

“Yeah, we did! Didn’t get burnt to a crisp fer nothin’. I was thinkin’ we could up the stakes even more next time,” the prince says with a wild, eager look. “We could go fer a mermaid’s necklace or somethin’. I’ve never been t’ th’ Kamome Islands.”

“Mermaids are greedy brutes,” tall-dark-and-gloomy says finally. “And also gross.”

“What! What’re ya even talkin’ about, Omi-Omi! They’re literally creatures of beauty ‘n seduction ‘r whatever.”

“They’re—part fish—slimy—”

The prince rolls his eyes, fondness evident. “Omi-kun,” he chides. “Y’can stay in th’ boat or somethin’. And if I drown, y’can just freeze me up. Ice floats, right?”

The tall man frowns even more, somehow. “I refuse.”

“Yeah, yeah, no surprise, but we’ll figure somethin’ out. I’ve gotchu, and you’ve got me, yeah?” Prince Atsumu says as he taps a wooden pendant hanging on his companion’s chest. “I can’t wait. We’re takin’ th’ world by storm, one quest at a time. When’s the next weddin’, anyway? We probably have time t’ rent a ship, right? Man, ‘Samu’s not gonna like that,” he laughs. 

“Oh, but speakin’ of. We gotta go say hi t’him and Suna, Omi-Omi.” The prince bows elegantly and starts to walk away, and the dark-haired man follows suit. 

“Next wedding, huh, Sakusa?” Komori whispers at their backs with a ferret-like grin. 

The tall man doesn’t look back, but he lifts one hand to make a rude gesture and keeps the other clutched tightly at something inside his robes.

The Inari guest gasps. “Wait—was that—are they—”

Komori just winks and puts a finger to his own lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hhhhhh It's Done!! you can really feel my penchant for fantasy and worldbuilding, but my fics have always been and will always be self-indulgent :') There's a lot of seriousness to SakuAtsu that I don't explore and that the fandom has covered so so well already -- I'm just here for some good ol' fluff and magic :D
> 
> Unnecessary worldbuilding details that didn't make it into the fic:  
> \- Komori (ko=ancient, mori=forest) is a plant/green mage! He specializes in... tree things... and has dryad ancestry (from the side of the family he doesn't share with Sakusa)  
> \- Komori and Sakusa had to compromise with their home/workplace. Trees + ice = some sort of everwinter forest, intimidatingly endless pine trees and snow surrounding a hidden Wizard's Tower (TM)  
> \- Komori maintains the orchard. Silver apples are, like, wintry, I guess.  
> \- @ScriptaManent: Hey Dazzle, all the people who get lost in the snowy woods. Do they just... you know...  
> @dazzletwig: Ahahhahaha hey did you know that the perpetual blizzard eventually spits them back out of the forest after a non-lethal amount of time? Plus the cousins probably! do patrols! or something!  
> \- Atsumu is the Irresponsible Younger Prince (TM), but he's not actually incompetent! Let's say he does ~diplomacy~ and ~ambassadorship~ and stuff.   
> \- In one iteration of the story, Iizuna was the official Royal Wizard in the court of Inari, and he was the one to refer Atsumu to his kouhai. Although he's not an ice mage, he /does/ know how to cast the spell. It's just not worth his time lmao. 
> 
> (ahahaha is my komori simp side coming out, oh noooo /s)
> 
> Come yell with me on twt [@dazzletwig](https://twitter.com/DazzleTwig)!
> 
> Thank you [tai](https://archiveofourown.org/users/writerinbrooks/profile) for your beta and advice and your patience :') :') 
> 
> <3 [ScriptaManent](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScriptaManent) beta, plotweaver, counsel extraordinaire! Thank you!


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